Blood pressure

[R D S]

Anyone in here have bother with their blood pressure?

I've been pushing my luck for too long, overweight, not enough exercise, too much drink, but my BP has always been (upper end of) normal.

I had a funny turn on Tuesday, something that felt like a panic attack combined with concussion, I was convinced I was going to get my first ever ride in an ambulance but it eventually subsided.

Our BP monitor had packed in so after a few hot flushes since I bought another yesterday and get readings consistently 15x/10x. So I phoned the doctors and i'm waiting for a phone call.

I was provoked to check it again this morning and got readings of

176/110 and 180/112. It's come down considerably since. I've called the docs again and...i'm waiting for a call back. It's reassuring (I think) that they aren't as concerned as I.

I'd be interested in other's experiences. I'm hoping to make some lifestyle changes and get it down.

[Bob Eager]

I've had this for some years. I was up to 180/120 at one point.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that medication varies wildly for each individual. My GP thought it better to have lower doses of more than one medication, than a big dose of just one.

I was on doxazosin, but it turned out to have little effect. I was on another than was discontinued, so that was replaced by irbesartan. Swapping the doxazosin to amlodipine made a big difference. I was on benzoflumethiazide for a long time, but a change to indapamide made a real difference.

All these will vary so it's a matter of experiment. Also, some people react badly to some of them!

As a separate issue, I get atrial fibrillation (pretty well a double pulse). I get something to replace the amlodipine for that. But I haven't had it in a while - it did feel a little like a panic attack. I have a simple 3 terminal ECG gadget which has limited usefulness but will show arrhythmia.

[Tim Lamb]

In message <sfo14u$r5s$ [e-mail], R D S [e-mail] writes

Good luck!

I guess driving with blood pressure issues is the main thing to watch.

The medical profession readily disbelieve what they are told by the patient. My mother's family suffered from *fatty liver syndrome* which apparently makes blood test results point to alcoholism. I have problems convincing them that my outdoor complexion and test results have nothing to do with alcohol!

De-stress, lose weight, get some exercise, watch the salt intake. I know TNP will say excess is excreted but I doubt you will find an easier way of impacting BP.

[Jack Harry Teesdale]

An ACE inhibitor together with a diuretic, daily, works well for me. Reduced my BP to 150/80 in no time and keeps it there, without much lifestyle change.

[Chris Bacon]

Anyone "bother with"? It's a bit more than being bothered with, it's related to heart, blood vessel abd other problems, not to mention it's linked with dementia of various sorts. It is important!

Get something done about it. Your quack can give you blood pressure pills (and statins), and if you are "overweight" (by how much? See:

) lose some. Stop adding salt to your food, and stop eating bread and cakes. Walk around the block every day, do 20 minutes "briskly" or what you can to start with. Try not to dawdle, unless it's too hard work at first, in which case work up to "brisk".

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

R D S formulated the question :

Best advice is - don't ignore it!

I am/was a sufferer of high BP, though much better now. From what I gather, BP can be highest first thing on a morning, but that is too still too high. Measuring can itself subconsciously send your BP high, so take a few readings, get used to the process. Your BP seems to have increased by the second reading, suggesting you are tense about the readings - relax, once it becomes second nature, rather than something which concerns you, you will get lower values.

When they check mine at the docs, it is always much higher due to the 'white coat effect', so they have a mention of it on my notes, to accept my own home readings in place of there readings.

Some suggest the lower value is just as important as the high one - the low one (diastalic) should be below 80.

[R D S]

Precisely. Doctor phoned, she's not concerned about the BP itself and has wisely advised that I only check it when calm. Makes sense I suppose, I was concerning myself with what it will spike at while feeling pout of sorts.

She's more concerned about my mental health! I've neglected my mental and physical health for too long, time for some changes.

[alan_m]

The advice is to relax in a chair for 10 minutes before taking a reading and wait at least 30 minutes after a bath, after a shower, after eating or after drinking caffeine.

Try for around the same time(s) each day and take a running average over

5 to 10 readings.

I was worried when my blood pressure rose to 150/90 from around 125/80 over a period of a month - and stayed there (resting pulse around 60 bpm). I was prescribed an additional blood pressure tablet which has since brought the running average readings to around 125/75

Snap, If you present the doctor (in my case a practice pharmacist*) with a comprehensive record of your own reading I've found that they will take your readings.

I'm also diabetic and was also informed recently that the lower reading should be below 80 for my condition and a value (for my age, late 60s) of 140 was the upper recommended limit.

*My GP surgery employs a full time pharmacist who reviews repeat prescriptions and reviews any routine tests associated with ongoing medication. He is also responsible in the practices for blood pressure issues and can be consulted instead of the doctor. I can usually see on-line the results of blood or urine tests a few days after giving the sample and can also see at the same time the review notes from the pharmacist - albeit they may only say "results within normal range - no further action required". The blood test results test results also show upper an lower limits for each parameter with a link to the NHS site to explain what each of the tests mean.

[Chris Green]

That's higher than it should be but not too outlandish. "White coat syndrome" sometimes pushes mine up that high, I have to wait and relax and it drops to more healthy levels. "Ideal" is around 120/80 or maybe a little less.

[soup]

Wow just wow. A healthy (sort of as it is two numbers each of which has a range, a 'healthy' number is a matter of opinion)BP is less than 120/80.

Your systolic is 'just' V-high ( 15X ) but you Diastolic is off the chart ( 10X )

Blood pressure seems to vary from second to second, having it measured at the docs is problematical too as people are(tend to be) very nervous at the doctors leading to a higher than normal BP (this is called [among other things] white coat syndrome.

Within reason (I would suggest that 15X/10X is outwith this)the area your pressure is in is much more important than specific readings.

With numbers like that I would get an appointment for Monday (receptionists may not realise the significance of those numbers).

Whilst you improve your life-style(majorly change) the doc may want you on Lisinopril or some such.

A rough idea of what BPs should be.

[Paul]

"I'm hoping to make some lifestyle changes" == LOL

When you've had a hypertensive incident, you have to find out why.

There is a rather extensive flowchart to be followed.

Think of the hypertensive incident as a "check engine" light.

It means there is more wrong, than too many burgers and fries.

The flow chart is large enough, and counter-intuitive enough, to not be reproducing it here.

I've been told for example, NOT to exercise. But that advice is custom, and just for me. Every person ends up with their own set of unique instructions, complete with "severity" warnings. And by the way, I ignore that advice, because following that advice spoils my quality of life (the angina will come back).

My blood pressure now, is sorta under control, but it varies and is "episodic". I can have slightly high blood pressure for four days in a row, slightly low blood pressure for four days in a row. Practically nothing drives it with any degree of certainty.

And one reason my blood pressure is like that, is I have an underlying heart condition. And I'm sure the pattern is pretty well related only to that. Which means my high blood pressure is not "Essential Hypertension". It responds to drugs, sort of, but so what ? It's the underlying condition that will kill me. The blood pressure just flaps in the breeze for fun.

My internist described my pre-existing condition best:

"You could drop dead, ya know"

And I kind of like that.

That's a lifestyle statement if ever there was one.

Paul

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

alan_m explained :

Similar system here too.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

alan_m formulated the question :

My normally a bit high BP, falls away to a sometimes dizzying low after a bath. The hotter the bath, the lower it goes.

[R D S]

Just got out of the bath, which I tend to have 'too hot' and it's 127/88.

The missus berates me for having a hot bath, i've always argued it's good for you, perhaps i'm right.

[Robin]

some of the comments you've had seem a bit OTT given the possibility that:

a. you weren't rested and calm when taking the readings. (In addition to "white coat syndrome" there is also e.g. the "listening to alarmist advice effect")

b. the machine is misreading: even if it is a BHF/BIHS approved model, I would not count on a newly purchased machine being accurate unless and until I'd seen its results alongside another (preferably calibrated) one. And/or the results it gives for someone with reliably known BP.

c. you have a viral infection which causes temporary increases. (But no, I'm not suggesting you have Covid 19).

I'm not medical but I do recommend keeping a copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy at hand over the weekend so you can look at the cover "pro re nata" as the medical Latin had it :)

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

R D S wrote on 20/08/2021 :

SWMBO likes a very hot bath, but brief bath (what a waste), rather than waste the water I usually jump in when she gets out and it is still a little too hot for my comfort, but I like a good soak. Sometimes I will get out quite weak and dizzy - checking my BP, at those times it will have fallen to sub 110 over sub 80.

One consultant wants my Sys between 150/160, because I had a minor stroke long ago and have a narrowed artery to one side of my head, the renal consultant wants my Sys below 135.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

It happens that Robin formulated :

I have had several, all modern digital and all have proven to be as accurate as a BP monitor can be, even the frowned upon wrist units.

They self calibrate against air pressure, so I would expect them to be either very accurate, or completly wild.

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

As we get older our heart becomes less efficient at pumping blood and nature created a system to ensure blood gets to the important extremities that die without oxygen. Obviously the most important one being the brain.

Yes premature high blood pressure needs a drastic change in lifestyle including correcting bad diet and sedentary habits but artificially reducing blood pressure of an older generation to that of a fit person in their 20's is complete insanity. (Not speculating on your age just a bit of info from my own findings)

100 + Age is the standard old-school rule of thumb that was used. My mother (a nurse) was diagnosed with Alzheimers around 5 years ago and was on a very rapid decline. I took her to the doctor and told them all the tablets she was on had the potential (and documented) side effects of dementia, memory loss etc etc and that I was going to take her off all 8 medications. She was actually on 2 different blood pressure tablets! Strangely the Dr. didn't put up any resistance.

I did exactly that and replaced her meds with CBD and Turmeric (both strong anti-inflammatories and having a history of reducing pain of arthritis, and I kept a daily record of her B.P. She is now 86 and right from the outset after dropping the toxic concoction of everything her declining cognitive ability stopped and her dementia regressed.

2 years ago she had to go into a care home due t reducing mobility (osteoarthritis in shoulders and knees) and although they couldn't continue administering "natural" remedies I'd been giving her they also agreed in discussion with the doctor they wouldn't be re-prescribing the mess of overly prescribed pharmaceuticals and the Dr. agreed with me that a BP of 180/whatever for a sedentary, over-weight woman in her 80's was perfectly acceptable!

I think there's a HUGE relationship between the farce of medicine re-sellers advising medical practitioners that there is just ONE small band (that of a healthy person in their 20's or 30's) that EVERYONEs blood pressure should be artificially lowered to and the dementia pandemic.

Don't even get me started on Statins!

Rectify the cause and normality will resume rapidly. Never resort to medication to give a false impression of "cure".

[alan_m]

I have two monitors from different manufacturers. Give or take a little bit they both give the same results.

[Robin]

Your experience is not shared by everyone. E.g. "Which?" in July gave the wrist worn £499 Omron Heartguide 1 out of 5 for accuracy: "Our tests showed it was highly inaccurate, with both systolic and diastolic BP readings incorrectly measured."

Do you know which self-calibrate and how? The couple I've seen exploded used a piezo transducer to measure the pressure relative to atmospheric

- ie they were open much like a mercury manometer.

And I can't see how calibration against local atmospheric pressure would work when monitors are used at altitude.